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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25459780">And The Serial Killer Makes Three (Or: How the Kira Case Was Solved in Four Days)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThePunkRanger/pseuds/ThePunkRanger'>ThePunkRanger</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Death Note &amp; Related Fandoms</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Fix-It, Light loses, The Plot Might Be Flimsy But The Feels Are Real, Watari is the Real Villain of Death Note</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 07:48:02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,170</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25459780</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThePunkRanger/pseuds/ThePunkRanger</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Light doesn’t go to the police station to drop off his dad’s clothes.</p>
<p>The dominos fall from there.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Beyond Birthday/Misora Naomi, Misora Naomi/Raye Penber (Past)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>23</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Because Naomi Misora deserved better...</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Listen, ma'am, I hear what you're saying, but I'm just not in the position to give you that information."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Naomi Misora sighed, lowering her head down to her arms, leaning on the front desk of the NPA station.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"There must be something you can do.I have information on the Kira Case that could be invaluable, if I can get the information to L personally..." Naomi begged, feeling desperation creeping in.She had already been at this desk for an hour, and though she felt bad for hassling the poor attendant, the fact that Raye had been involved in a bus jacking that had ended with the criminal dead, only days before every FBI agent in Japan had been killed by Kira, seemed like much too much of a coincidence to her.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Listen, ma'am, like I've told you before..."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As the words left the man's mouth, Naomi was distracted by two men entering the building.One looked to be in his thirties with an afro that, quite frankly, looked utterly ridiculous on him.The other was a young man, looking only a few years her junior, with floppy black hair and an air of innocence about him that made him seem far too young and inexperienced to be a cop.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I can't believe Ryuzaki has made us into his errand boys..." the older man was saying, a brown paper bag clutched in one hand.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Naomi’s blood ran cold, images of a young man with black hair and wide, gray eyes flashing through her mind.Ryuzaki was the name the serial killer, Beyond Birthday, had used under the guise of an “unprivate detective”.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">She shook her head.No.Ryuzaki- Beyond Birthday, was in prison in California.These men were not talking about him.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Even as she thought it, another man popped into her head.One who had half-tackled her on her way to work, two weeks after Beyond Birthday had been arrested.Who looked disturbingly similar to the serial killer.One who had also introduced himself as Ryuzaki.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Naomi perked up.She’d always had the sneaking suspicion that the second Ryuzaki, the one she had kicked down the stairs, had been L.If these two were working for L, then maybe she could convince them to let her in on the case...</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Are those two on the Kira task force?”She asked the attendant, voice low.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Um...” his eyes were wide and panicky, and she felt a surge of victory.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Excuse me!"She called, turning to walk up to the two men.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">They stopped, the afro'd one looking decidedly perturbed.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm sorry, but I couldn't help but overhear, you’re on the Kira task force, right?”</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Well, yeah, but-" the younger one started before the older one shot him a sharp look."I mean, ah, I'm sorry, but that's really classified information."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Naomi felt her desperation begin to creep back in."Please, I need to speak with L immediately.I have information that could be invaluable to the case."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Afro scoffed."People have been saying the exact same thing for months now, lady.What makes you think you're any different?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Naomi took a deep breath."Because my fiancé, Raye Penber, was one of the twelve FBI agents killed by Kira."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">She heard the younger one gasp."Really? I'm so sorry!"He exclaimed, puppy-dog eyes going wide as he reached out to her, giving her a too-close, one armed hug, holding a cardboard cup holder of coffee in his other hand.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Matsuda!"The older officer snapped, "Leave the poor woman alone."Naomi thought that she could hear him add something along the lines of "She's been through enough already," though she couldn't be sure.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Matsuda let her go, muttering an awkward apology.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's fine."Naomi said, fixing her hair."Now, about the Kira investigation..."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yes, of course!"Matsuda said, snapping to attention, "Aizawa and I can take you to our headquarters, but it's secret, so you can't tell anyone."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Naomi smiled as she saw Aizawa sighing in defeat."Don't worry, I can keep a secret."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Go grab Yagami’s package, Matsuda.” Aizawa snapped, not taking his eyes off of Naomi.“We need to get back as quickly as possible.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">It was a nice hotel, Naomi thought as she was escorted through the lobby and up the elevator by Aizawa and Matsuda.The decor was mainly gold and bronze, with dark wood accents.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">She couldn't help but feel a little nervous as they walked up to the door of the hotel room.What did you say to someone that you had last seen lying at the bottom of a set of stairs you had kicked them down?</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As Aizawa swiped his room key and opened the door, she felt several gazes lock onto her.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Looking around the room, she could see three men, all looking at her like she was some alien creature.She recognized L immediately.Or at least, the image that she had come to know as him.Tall and too-thin, with black hair sticking up at all angles, and dark rings under his eyes that could make a panda jealous.He was crouched with his knees pulled to his chest on an arm chair, a sugar cube halfway to his mouth.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Steeling herself, she walked into the room, standing in front of L across the coffee table."Hello, L."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The detective blinked curiously at her from his frog-like position on his chair."Miss Misora.What brings you to the Kira investigation?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Naomi took a deep breath before launching into her story."I have information that could be valuable.My fiancé, Raye Penber, was one of the FBI agents who was killed by Kira this week.He told me that he had gotten caught in a bus jacking about a week before, and that he showed his ID to someone on that bus.I have reason to believe that the two incidents were connected.Not only that, but the death of the bus jacker leads me to believe that Kira may be able to kill in ways other than a heart attack."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">L seemed pensive for a moment, nibbling on his thumb before his eyes sparked in an idea.Reaching out for the end of a sharpie on the table with his thumb and index finger, he quickly scribbled down more notes on the tabletop, working out how the new information would fit in with what he already had.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Miss Misora, please, come look at this.We need to get you caught up on the case."L said, looking back up at her finally.</span>
</p>
<p class="p2">—</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Naomi rubbed at her eyes, tapping her fingers on the smooth tabletop as she looked back over the information there for what felt like the hundredth time.In reality, she supposed, it was probably only the fiftieth.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">She was sitting cross-legged on the floor, leaning over the table as she looked for the connection between each part of L's theory.It had been six hours already, and the afternoon sun was shining brightly through the slices of window that the blackout curtains didn't quite cover.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As she traced a line between one graph to the next with her finger, she felt something click together inside her brain.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Shinigami!"She exclaimed, feeling excitement coursing through her.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">She heard a yelp behind her, and turned quickly to see L looking shellshocked.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What's the matter?"She asked, tamping down her excitement.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">L coughed loudly, collecting himself before saying, "I apologize for starting like that, Miss Misora, but the last time a case involved any mention of shinigami, it was the Los Angeles murders that you helped me with.You can understand why it would be an unpleasant comparison.What do you mean by shinigami?"He asked, changing the subject.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"These messages left by Kira, "L, do you know, shinigami love apples?", and then the bus jacker reportedly was raving about seeing some sort of “demon" on the bus that he was shooting at.Whatever it is that connects Kira with shinigami, he's definitely trying to give us a clue.I just wish I could figure out what it means..."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">After a quiet moment puzzling, she said uncertainly, "You know, L, there is one person who may be able to help here.Who knows way more about shinigami than we do..."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">L grimaced, but nodded."I fear you may be correct, miss Misora.Although I do wish I could find another way... I have little desire to ever see Backup again."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Naomi sighed deeply."I don't like him either, but he's our best chance at figuring out this shinigami message."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Matsuda finally piped up from his spot on the couch."Who's Backup?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">L sighed."An old acquaintance of mine."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Naomi raised an eyebrow at L."So, are you willing to work with him, or should we find some other shinigami expert to help us?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">L unfolded himself from his chair, slouching as he stood."Watari, I'm going to need you to make a call to our California contacts.I'm afraid we may need to break Backup out."</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">It took a day and a half, and a chemical that Naomi couldn't pronounce to pull off Beyond Birthday's great escape from prison.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">L had made sure that they would count Beyond as dead so as to avoid their one lead getting killed by Kira at any moment.They used a shot of a chemical that would put him to sleep and slow his breathing and heart rate down to a pace where he would pass for dead.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Watari made the prison coroner hand over the body without autopsy, and a plane ride later a bleary-eyed, ruffled looking Beyond Birthday was lying on the couch in task force headquarters.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Naomi was leaning against the wall facing the couch, watching the criminal with sharp eyes as he slowly awoke from his fake death.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">He looked different than she remembered, without the makeup and clothes to make him look like L.His hair was longer, down to his shoulders, and though it was still messy, it wasn't nearly as spiky and wide as L's.His skin was darker too.Not significantly, but enough that she could tell he had more than one race in his blood.His eyes looked better, less sunken and dark, and more lively and sharp, though they were currently half closed against the evening light, and she could see a soft, red glow around his eyelids.The most shocking part was his skin.She hadn't laid eyes on him since his arrest, and the burn scars from his attempted suicide made his body a patchwork of pink and tan.Only a few small scars marred his face, crisscrossing where his arms hadn’t covered, but his limbs were covered in large splotches of pink, puckered skin where the flames had caught.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">She diverted her gaze quickly as he lolled his head to the side, squinting out at her.She saw his forehead crinkle in a look of confusion.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Miss Misora?"His voice was soft and vaguely scratchy, but she was surprised to hear how light the pitch was.During the case, he had only ever spoken in the same deep monotone as L.Now that he wasn't pretending, she found she almost liked his voice.Almost.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hello, Beyond."She said, keeping her voice emotionless as she stared anywhere but at him.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I didn't think you would be here."He paused, and when she looked over, he was looking down, almost reverent."I'm glad, that you're working this case.They need good detectives like you."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">She was caught off-guard by his words.She had always felt so stupid next to the likes of him and L, hearing him praise her skills made her almost want to thank him.It had been a long time since anyone had truly called her a good detective.She had quit her job at the FBI to start a family with Raye, but being here, working the case, she could feel her blood pumping like it hadn't in months.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Make any friends in prison?"She asked, changing the subject to get away from thoughts of Raye and the life they might have had.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh yeah, loads."Beyond said sarcastically, rolling back to face the ceiling."One of them was even nice enough to make me look tougher by keeping me black and blue ninety percent of the time."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Naomi winced, though she tried not to let it show on her face."You do something to make him angry?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Everything in my power."Beyond said.Then, after a moment, "No, I think he took offense to my muscular physique."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You are quite the bodybuilder.Prison's really given you time to work on your muscles."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Beyond burst out into a high-pitched, choking laugh that shook his whole body."Kya-ha-hahahaha!Oh, I'd forgotten what it's like to be around people with sense of humor!"Beyond said, clutching his stomach.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Naomi allowed herself a small smile before she heard the door click open, the rest of the task force filing into the hotel room in the face of Beyond's hysterics.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">She saw several of the men looking uncertainly towards the laughing criminal, and she thought Matsuda almost looked genuinely frightened.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is this supposed to be our lead?"Mr. Yagami asked, looking decidedly unconvinced.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yep, he's the one."Naomi said dryly, rolling her eyes as Beyond continued to hiccup with laughter."It really wasn't that funny, Birthday."</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Birthday?"Matsuda asked from the middle of the group, "I thought L called him Backup?"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Beyond's laughter cut off abruptly, being replaced by a dark silence that seemed to bog down the room.</span>
</p>
<p>"<em>What</em> did he call me?"Beyond asked, deathly quiet as he slowly sat up on the couch, his fingers going white-knuckled on the cushions.He locked red eyes onto the young detective, anger making them glow like coals.</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Beyond..." Naomi said quietly, walking slowly over towards him. </span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The door to the bedroom clicked shut, and Beyond leapt to his feet, spinning around to see L standing a few feet from him.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ah, B, I'm glad you're awake."L said, voice something that could have passed for light in a better moment.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Four years later, and I'm still nothing but a <em>backup</em>."Beyond spat, and made to stalk around the couch, only to lose his balance, catching himself on the back of it."You drug me, fly me out of the country unconscious, all because I'm <em>so</em> important to your case, and you don't even have the human decency to call me by my own </span>
  <span class="s2"><em>fucking</em> </span>
  <span class="s1">name!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"B, please, just calm down..." L said, raising his hands slowly.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Naomi moved silently around the short coffee table, her eyes never leaving Beyond.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Ryuzaki, be careful."One of the men said from their cluster by the door.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Beyond's laugh was a bark."Ryuzaki? Oh, that's rich!”He pushed himself upright and squared his shoulders, “Ever wonder where he got that name, gentlemen?"He asked, voice hard as steel as he moved slowly around the back of the couch to stand face-to-face with L."That was </span>
  <span class="s2"><em>my</em> </span>
  <span class="s1">detective alias!I definitely wasn't going to go by Backup anymore.Not like it made a difference to <em>you</em>."Beyond snarled, and moved to throw himself at L, only to find himself restrained from behind by a pair of strong, leather-clad arms.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Naomi held her own shoulder with one hand, using her arm to lock around Beyond’s neck.The other arm she used to restrain his arms from across his chest."Beyond, I know you're angry, but you can't just throw yourself at him like this."She said evenly.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's all his fault!"Beyond cried, writhing in her hold."It's his fault I'm stuck this way!He's the one who ruined it all!"</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Birthday, calm down."Naomi growled through clenched teeth.He hadn’t been lying in Blackberry Brown’s apartment, he was much stronger than he looked.Still, whatever muscle he had managed to put on over the last two years, it was no match for a body that had been expertly honed for over a decade.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Let me go!"Beyond shouted, trying to twist out of her arms."The motherfucker steals my name, takes away my friend, and then drugs me against my will!I </span>
  <span class="s2">will <em>not</em> </span>
  <span class="s1">calm down!" </span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">He threw his head back, and Naomi cursed loudly, tasting blood in her mouth.With a grunt, she pitched the both of them forward.Beyond landed hard on his front, and she used his momentary surprise to pin him with a knee, muscling his arms behind his back.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Miss Misora, please allow me.”</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Naomi looked up at Watari through a curtain of her own hair, half covering her face, and watched as he knelt calmly at their side.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You get the <em>fuck</em> away from me, old man!”Beyond snarled, head craned to try and see him.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Pushing up the sleeve of Beyond’s t-shirt, Watari produced a syringe and quickly administered a shot.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Within seconds, Beyond went limp underneath Naomi, and she climbed off of him slowly, wiping the blood from her face.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I will take him from here, miss Misora.”Watari said, gathering Beyond in his arms like an overgrown child and carrying him to the bedroom L had entered from.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Naomi had her fingers twisted in a hair-tie when Watari returned.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Will he be alright?”She asked, tugging her hair out into a ponytail before properly facing the elderly butler.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Oh yes,” he replied, placing a black briefcase onto an end table.“It is not the first time that Backup has acted out in such a way.”</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“That’s right,” L had his forefinger to his lip, grey eyes keen on Watari, “I remember now.The last time I made a visit to the orphanage, after the other one killed himself, he tried to choke me to death with his bare hands.”</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Naomi looked between the two men, her mind reeling.“What?”</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I still don’t know why he was so upset.”L muttered, ignoring her.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Who’s the other one?”She asked, feeling some part of her tense.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Another child.”Watari finally answered her, L already wandering back to his chair.“At the orphanage B was raised in.He committed suicide, and Backup took it rather harshly.”</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“And he did that?”Naomi asked, gesturing toward the bedroom door, still not sure she was reading Watari’s casual tone correctly.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“More or less.I stopped him then too, although he did break the arm of one of the nurses on the scene.”Watari smiled kindly at her, “You made the whole situation much easier.”</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Naomi shut her eyes, breathing deeply.Who the hell were these people?“You’re insane.”She said it simply.As a fact.Neither man answered her.“You’re all completely out of your fucking minds.”</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">She shook her head, and strode over to where she had tucked her bag.She needed some air.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Um... Miss Misora?”It was Yagami’s voice.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Nope!”The single word was thrown into the hallway as she walked out the door, not looking back.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">She had some things to figure out.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>